Restaurants in Amsterdam

Bordewijk highlights French country fare with an emphasis on local products and seasonal game. Named after a celebrated Dutch author, this splendid spot faces the tranquil expanse of Noordermarkt and sources herbs and veggies from the organic food market held there weekly. It's as hospitable as it is elegant, with turquoise screens along both sides of the dining area and a rotund chef lovingly describing the menu to each guest. Start with a foie gras platter and move onto a memorable roasted sea bass.

A small and exclusive restaurant, the Vinkeles is located in the heart of Amsterdam and has been honoured with a Michelin star. The chefs Dennis Kuipers and Jurgen van der Zalm put the keynote on modern French cuisine but with international influences. Enjoy the culinary delights in an elegant atmosphere. Making a reservation is essential - if possible weeks ahead. 

From a humble neighbourhood billiards pub, the Café Loetje has morphed into an immensely popular dining hall. Near the museum district, it fills each evening with families and groups of friends who crowd the long, well-worn tables to share a quaff. In nice weather, patrons take their drinks on the terrace. At the top of the menu, and what everyone orders, is the biefstuk ossenhaas, an unbelievably tender cut of beef tenderloin garnished with a tasty gravy, served with mushrooms, fries and salad.

Across the IJ river, North Amsterdam is ripe for exploration. The seemingly deserted warehouse zone, east of the ferry dock, harbours some of the city’s more ambitious restaurants, among them Hotel De Goudfazant. Housed in a converted garage, with vintage cars on risers, the ‘golden pheasant’ stands alone by the river. It’s usually in a boisterous mood, with platters of razor clams and terrines of duck stew issuing from a busy open kitchen to a vast, invariably packed hall. With freighters rolling by after dark, settings don’t come much cosier.

Though often downplayed as bland, Dutch cuisine actually boasts a simple heartiness and it’s represented well here. Moeder’s (Mother’s in English) does dinner nightly, just like your mum used to. The three set menus highlight Dutch standards like stamppot, a hotchpotch of greens, potatoes and sausage, and calf’s liver with bacon and onions. The cosy room is homily decked out with mismatched tableware and the walls are plastered with photos of former guests’ mothers. Take your mum here on her birthday and there’s a surprise in store.

Ex-colonial power, Holland boasts a rich international cuisine, most notably from its former colony of Indonesia. Just opposite the flower market, this casual restaurant offers authentic, flavourful and fiery fare from precisely there. To sample the splendid variety of the Indonesian table, spring for the rijsttafel (an elaborate, side dish tasting menu) with its array of tropical tastes. A vegetarian option is also available. From the excellent wine menu, the Fleur de Gewurztraminer pairs perfectly with the spicy dishes.

De Peper is part of OT301, a former squat cultural complex. Young chefs prepare vegan, and mostly organic, fare in the busy kitchen at the centre of a dining hall with well-trodden wood floors and mismatched tables. The food is an enticing multicultural mix that varies with whoever is working the kitchen. Dinner is served Tuesday and Thursday evenings 1800-0100 and Friday 1800-0300 and patrons must call to reserve a meal between 1600 and 1900.

The food they serve at Instock is rescued from supermarkets before it’s tossed in the bin, so the chefs base their menu on what’s normally available each week. Instock is all about creating fun and unusual flavour profiles from food that would have otherwise been thrown away because it’s misshapen or bruised, even though it’s all still edible. The interior is cosy and modern with long wooden benches, fashionable hanging lamps and communal tables. Head there on a Saturday for some live music, usually jazz inspired, to compliment your unique and sustainable dinner.

Pancakes are a well-loved dish in the Netherlands and the ones at The Pancake Bakery are exceptional. Set in a former 17th century Dutch East India Company warehouse, the restaurant still retains some of its original architecture and charm, including exposed brick walls and wooden beamed ceilings. Old, yellowing posters decorate the walls, flickering candles create a romantic atmosphere and each table is laden down with various pancake syrups and icing sugar.